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FeedCatering...not what it used to be.
Catering...not what it used to be.
The food is still definitely important in catering, but service and atmosphere also play an important part. With excellent service and the right atmosphere, you can make your event unforgettable and special. A lot of catering companies today have moved toward the full-service/event planning arena, meaning they can not only handle the food and service but can arrange for a variety of services. A full service caterer should be able to help arrange décor, tables, chairs, china, silver, crystal, linens, make sure the venue fits the occasion and size of group, entertainment, music, valet parking, while also making sure the menu fits the taste of the group and the occasion.
The caterer should be able to figure out what you want and how it can be created for you. In the first consult/meeting with your caterer, it should be a question and answer session. Sometimes this can take place over the phone, via e-mail, or in a meeting. This is the process in which a caterer gathers information to put together a proposal for the event. You should be ready to answer a number of questions: What is the function? (wedding reception, holiday party, corporate luncheon, anniversary celebration, etc.) What is the date and timeline of the event? How many guests will be in attendance? Have you selected a venue? Does the group have certain tastes? Is the event indoor versus outdoor? Is the event formal versus informal? Any favorite foods that need to be on the menu? What are your beverage needs? What items does the venue provide? What rental equipment is needed? Do you have a budget in place? (sometimes the budget can be figured out in the meeting) Once the caterer gets this information and knows your expectations, they should be able to put together a detailed proposal that includes menu, beverages, itemized list of rental equipment, staff requirements/service charges, and all applicable taxes.
Once the caterer gives the client the proposal for review and it has been accepted, they can schedule a tasting of the menu. At the tasting generally all of the details are finalized, menu, rental arrangements, linen color, china selection, timeline, entertainment, and décor. After the tasting, a final walk thru should be scheduled at the venue for the layout of the floorplan (placement of bars, buffets, seating tables, chairs, dance floor), this should be given to all necessary parties, so everyone (venue, rental company, decorators, florist, band, d.j.). Now all that is left is the final count for the guests, this should be received one to two weeks prior to the event.
A caterer should make you feel like a guest at your own event. You should not have to worry about if the food is going to make it on time, is the food going to be hot, are the flowers here yet, did the band get set up, are we going to run out of wine, did the rental items make it. You should have the confidence, that everything will be done exactly how you imagined it would in your meetings and tasting, everything will be done on the timeline you expect, and the food quality & presentation will be what you have been promised. You should also be comfortable that there will be enough service personnel/waitstaff/bartenders to accommodate your size of group. Does the caterer use temps or are they employees of the company? After the event is over, the caterer should clean up the venue/home and leave it in the clean condition it was before the event. It should be as clean, if not cleaner than they found it.
Hope this has been insightful and good luck on your next catered event.
